| 12/30/2003 1:24:16 PM

ROCHESTER, NY -- The RIT men's soccer team was defeteated by Ithaca College, 2-0 this afternoon on a rainy and cold afternoon at RIT Field. Ithaca came into the game ranked 20th in the latest Division III poll.

The first half was evenly matched as both teams were able to generate quality scoring chances. RIT's best chance came at the eight minute mark. George Chavez (Endicott, NY) played a nifty ball out of the back to Jorge Ciurlizza (McLean, VA) in the midfield. Ciurlizza then played it up to Steven Rygiel (Chesaning, MI) who was in all alone. Rygiel's shot beat Ithaca keeper Ted Meyer (Wallingford, PA) but hit off the post and stayed in play.

Ithaca struck the first blow just a few minutes later when Eric Deyle (East Amherst, NY) hit a laser shot from the top of the box, giving the Bombers a 1-0 lead. Ithaca outshot RIT 9-7 in the first half as Nate Andrews (Rochester, NY) made three saves in net for the Tigers.

The second half went back and forth. RIT would come down and generate a scoring chance followed by a chance for the Bombers. With just under three minutes to play Ithaca's Mike Alexander (Livingston, NJ) lobbed a ball from the end line that was headed by Deyle for his second goal of the game.

Andrews finished the game with five saves in goal for RIT who fall to 5-5-1 on the season and 1-1-0 in the Empire 8. Ted Meyer made six saves in net for Ithaca, helping the Bombers improve to 8-2-1.

RIT will play next at the University of Rochester on Tuesday, October 7 at 7 p.m.